Catching Up

So what have we been doing for the past 2 weeks?

We've been working on bulletin boards, of course!  What else would a teacher be doing during the final few days of summer??? 😉

Doug had some big plans for his new room, and we worked hard to pull all the pieces together for that (quite literally!).  He has 2 boards 8×4, and one 4×4…so you can see that we had a lot of space to fill.

Here's the small board:

Bulletin

(Math: The only place a kid buys 60 watermelons and nobody asks "Why?")

And the larger ones:

Bulletin3

(John Wooden's Pyramid of Success.  Doug will add the "blocks" to the pyramid throughout the year, along with the corresponding "Building materials" explanation to the right.)

Bulletin4

Bulletin5

(Heaven's GPS.  This was a great idea that Doug had to make the Plan of Salvation a setting on the GPS.  You can see his "map" and his many instructions, along with detours and road blocks.  We are praying that his students come to understand the concept and come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, if they don't already know Him when the school year starts.)

 

Isaac and I are settling back into our routine with Julie, Ike's caregiver.  I am hoping to add some new activities to my schedule this year…just what that will be, remains to be seen.  I would love to start voice lessons, as well as volunteer somewhere each week.  I'd also like to settle on whether I want to write a book or not.  I love to write, but do I really have a book "in me"???  I just don't know yet.

 

I have a HUGE coupon that is active in my Etsy shop right now.  Use   25OFF   to receive 25% off any purchase from Alesha Kay Jewelry.   I added a few new things to the shop just today. 

 

My aunt Helen, my mom's sister, passed away early this week.  We will be attending her funeral tomorrow.  Yesterday would have been her birthday, had she lived; but my mom was happy to think about her spending her birthday in Heaven with the Lord.  I am so thankful that she is at home with Him now, healthy and happy and whole.

 

God has been so good to us throughout this summer.  It has been very difficult financially, but He has met our every need.  It has been a summer of spiritual growth and I am thankful for that…even though it was quite painful at times.  I'd rather walk through the hard times WITH the Lord, than to have no troubles, but not know Him. 

What do people do when they don't know Jesus?  It's a sad thing indeed, when you think about it, isn't it?  That's why it's so important that we live our lives to show them how different it can be to know a Saviour like our Lord Jesus Christ!  Our walk should show them what our talk tells them.

 

Philippians 2:15-16a "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
 Holding forth the word of life…"

 

Blessings to you and yours as you shine as lights for the Lord!

Alesha

When God’s Patience Runs Out

 

Psalm 11:5-7 "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright."

 

"(God's) stillness is not acquiescence, His silence is not consent.  He is only biding His time, and will arise, in the most opportune moment, and when the designs of the wicked seem on the point of success, to overwhelm them with disaster." ~Streams in the Desert

 

Psalm 7:11b "…and God is angry with the wicked every day."

 

I know. 

We see so much wickedness every day, don't we?

We wonder if God is even aware…does He see what is happening to this world of ours?

Let me remind you, my friend:  God is still on the throne!

He has not forgotten and He will not remain silent forever.

There is coming a day when His rod of vengeance will strike out at the wicked.  He will destroy those who do not follow His ways.

Do not lose hope because of the present wickedness that surrounds you.

Your Rescuer is on His way!

 

Psalm 18:16 "He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me."

 

 

 

When the Need is Too Great

 

II Corinthians 12:8-9 "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

 

"Never turn God's facts into hopes, or prayers, but simply use them as realities and you will find them powerful as you believe them." ~H.W. Webb Peploe

 

Have you ever found yourself praying,

"Oh Lord, make Your grace sufficient for me!" or "Lord, please give me sufficient grace"?

Why do we ask God to do what He has already stated IS?

God's grace IS sufficient.  It is in full and ready supply.

We do not need to pray for it.

We simply need to BELIEVE it.

 

What is your greatest need today? 


Let go of your doubt.  Leave your cynicism behind.  Throw away every support you have created.

Put all your faith in Him alone.

His grace is sufficient for you!

God's grace is enough to meet that need!

 

Singing in the Dark

 

Job 35:10 "But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;"

 

"…If God would make manifest the fact that 'He giveth songs in the night,' He must first make it night." ~Streams in the Desert

 

Remember, even when the night is so incredibly dark that you cannot see to take your next step, the Lord God sees all.  Nothing is hid from Him. 

 

Psalm 139:12 "Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

 

"Passive faith but praises in the light,

When sun doth shine.

Active faith will praise in darkest night –

Which faith is thine?"

~Streams in the Desert

 

Cling to your Saviour in the darkness.  Lean on Him when your fear threatens to overwhelm you.  Allow Him to lead, step by step, and make no move without Him.

The Lord will guide you through the dark, teaching you to trust Him more, and giving you something to sing about as you journey together with Him.

 

Psalm 42:8 "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

 

When it is too dark to see the next step, when you are frozen by fear and your heart is melting within you, lift up a song of praise to your God.

 

Acts 16:35 "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them."

 

Your time of deliverance will come.  Dawn will eventually appear. 

Until then, keep singing in the dark.

 

God’s Good Heart

 

Psalm 78:72 "So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands."

 

I am so grateful that my Lord takes care of me according to the integrity of His heart, not mine!

 

INTEGRITY n. [L. integritas, from integer.] 1. Wholeness; entireness; unbroken state. 2. The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character. 3. Purity; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state.

 

My soul may be saved, but it is housed in a body that is sinful and imperfect.  Often, my best intentions lead to wrong actions, in spite of my sincere desire to do right.

As Paul said,

 

Romans 7:18-19 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

 

This is why I am so glad that the Lord meets my needs in harmony with His own pure heart.

My Saviour – always and only – has His best planned for me. 

I have a free will, and can choose my own way; but I choose to submit my will to Him…most of the time. ;) 

However, even when I walk in disobedience, I can trust my Heavenly Father.  He will do whatever is best for me, in the midst of my stubborness, in order to draw my heart back to Him.

 

Psalm 78:38 "But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath."

 

What an incredibly loving God!

His heart is pure.  It is "incorrupt", "upright", "morally sound" and "honest."

I know I can trust Him…with all my heart.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

 

Do you want to walk in the right way? 

Then do not trust your own heart, but rather trust the good heart of your loving Heavenly Father!


Got Trouble?

 

"Trouble, after all, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder."
~ P.D. Wodehouse

 

Psalm 34:6-7 "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."

 

Psalm 46:1-2 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;"

 

Psalm 138:7 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me."

 

Our "troubles" can be deemed "blessings"
when viewed in the light
of the promises of God's Word!